Sports Nominees 2023
Sportswoman of the Year
Antoinette Randet
Antoinette has been rowing at this college since her first year, including taking on roles of Women's Captain (last year) and Men's Captain (this current year). Not only has she led the men's side of the Boat Club to become a highly competitive and inclusive team, but she has also committed a great deal of time to her own sporting success, rowing for St John's Women's First Boat. Her commitment to training in the gym, on the erg and on the water has led her to start training with the University Lightweights Development squad, with hopes for more sporting success in the future. I believe she deserves this award for her impressive achievements in sport and effort in the face of personal difficulties, as well as her contribution to St John's sport in general.
Eva Vang-Mathisen
As soon as the summer term rolls in, Eva swaps her books and academic robes for sportswear and heads straight to the field. She is a true ball-sport fanatic – whether it's tennis, where she played for the Blues in her first two years, or football, where she helped lead the Saints Women's Football Team to Cuppers victory in her first year and all the way to the semis in her second as captain. But don't be fooled by her love for the more traditional sports – Eva's table tennis skills are on another level, whether she's representing John's at Cuppers or racking up wins against the locals at the bar (where her infamous win against Adrian the porter remains her proudest achievement). But that's not all – if you ever find yourself on a squash court with Eva, be prepared for a verbal onslaught. When she's not on a field she's out gliding through the air and snow. Most recently, she conquered the Lyngen Alps in the Arctic circle, climbing up and skiing down six different peaks, sailing between destinations. And if you're in need of a ski lesson, Eva's your gal, as she's been a ski instructor for the past five years. This all said, beware on the roads – with her impressive and extensive collection of speeding tickets, Eva might just have missed her true calling as an F1 driver, even on a bicycle!
Natasha (Tash) Durie
Tash has been a highly valued athlete in the University's Women's Icehockey team since she came to Oxford in MT 2022. She has earned half blues in both years and was instrumental in this year's Varsity win against Cambridge as team captain. Furthermore, Tash represented the United Kingdom at the 2023 FISU World University Games in New York, being the only Oxford student in both Women's & Men's Icehockey team.
Sophia Lubiecki
Sophia has captained the Women’s Blues Modern Pentathlon side this year, leading her squad through the BUCS league this year and culminating in the varsity match this March. It wasn’t Oxford’s year, but this didn’t stop Sophia from securing the trophy for the Best Women’s Fencer. She has done an incredible job of organising and coaching the women’s team, including supporting complete newcomers as they get to grips with the five events of the sport. She’s even been re-elected as co-captain for next year!
Outside of Oxford this year, she has represented GB in an international competition in Poland for Pentathlon, coming in the top ten in a fiercely competitive line-up. Just last week she competed in the 2023 British Laser Run Championships, setting a personal best and qualifying for the European and World Laser Run Championships in August this year. Alongside pentathlon, she’s a regular member of the Blues Fencing team, competing at varsity as part of the Women’s 2nd Team for Épée, and scoring countless hits.
Despite all of this Blues and international sport, Sophia still regularly plays at a college level as a regular member of the Lacrosse, Tennis and Hockey teams. As a well-loved Blues captain, a friendly face in college sport (and a big time Saints rugby fan), she thoroughly deserves to be recognised for all her incredible achievements this year.
Sportsman Of the Year
Edward Patrick
Edward runs extra strength and conditioning sessions for rugby, has the best 2k rowing time, has filled in numerous times for rowers unable to attend their sessions even if it is at 5 am and is the second first year to participate in the rugby final.
Tom Johnson
In the past year Tom has accelerated through the ranks of OURFC and has been awarded a prestigious Full Blue in men's rugby union. Tom has represented the University on tour in South Africa and in an (un-)friendly 'warm up' game against a strong England U20s team. In March, Tom started on the wing in a tightly-contested Varsity Match.
Despite a busy OURFC schedule and the demands of sixth year medicine, Tom has also continued to represent college in the combined St Anne's/ John's rugby team. As a former captain of the rugby team (c. 2018–21), Tom's experience and (considerable) heft has been integral to their on-going cuppers success.
He is a fierce competitor, an excellent leader, and a sterling example of what is good about college and university sporting life.
Mixed Team of the Year
Saints Mixed Touch Rugby
Mixed touch ran as a proper year-round squad for the first time this year, meeting every Sunday of MT and HT in University Parks. The attendance has been phenomenal, both in terms of the number of people coming down and also the diversity of ages, genders and experience levels represented. The side has been a great opportunity for those that have never played rugby before to give it a go, and to offer a more social, relaxed alternative for those that don’t want to play the contact version of the game. The skill level of all players has developed well across the year. Because most colleges’ mixed touch teams are only organised in the week or two before cuppers in Trinity, the Saints should have a great chance to win the competition this year.
SJC Dance (Dancesport)
St John's Dance was newly reformed in 2022. Our Cuppers team consisted of seven couples, including ten students who had never danced competitively and we achieved some incredible results. The team won overall as well as winning best A team, and two couples came first in the final of their chosen dance, the Jive and Cha Cha Cha. Two couples came second, in Cha Cha Cha and Waltz, and one couple came third, in Quickstep. We won the Acheson Shield. We were really proud of our new couples for putting themselves out there and dancing in front of such a large crowd at Iffley Sports Centre. Shout out to all the many St John's students who have attended our classes more casually!
Women's Team of the Year
The Saints (women's football)
The Saints have had a great season of football, perhaps not on paper (occasional low numbers meant the team had to forfeit the result a couple of times despite clearly being the stronger side💪), but definitely in spirit. Formed from a group of reliable core members, this year the Saints recruited some brilliant new players, and have seen many try out new positions on the pitch, much to their success.
Their cuppers campaign was unfortunately cut short by a 1–0 loss to Osler House (a team of traitorous medics) who scored in the final minute and went on to win the whole competition. The Saints are hoping to regain glory in the five-a-side tournament this summer term, however, and the skill shown in some of their recent matches is a strong indication that this might just work out…
Highlights of the season:
- A powerful battle against the Old Girls at the alumni match in Hilary
- A 9-1 win against their Cambridge rivals at the Sidney Sussex sports day – followed by some memorable crewdate moments
- An interesting 5-a-side match vs some Mansfield road players with strong emotions
- General frequent pizza (and sushi) consumption
- Finally beating the Foxes
Men's Team of the Year
Saints Men’s Rugby
After coming tantalisingly close to Cuppers glory last May, the Saints are looking strong to finally bring home the silverware this year, for the first time since 2014. The first round of cuppers was a bye, whilst the second round saw Pembroke summarily dispatched 43-0 in a match that was ended early, owing to the one-sided nature of the contest. The Hilary league offered a great chance for less experienced players to get more time on the field, while more experienced players were representing the university. No less than 8 Saints represented Oxford this year, with special mentions to Tom Johnson (Blue’s Varsity), Ned Russell, Pat Meigh and Jack Hughes (2nd XV Varsity) and Adam Loweth (Rugby League Blue’s Varsity). The team was active off the field as well, raising over £2500 across 3 charity fundraisers, including £696 for Movember, £735 from the Homeless Oxford carol night, and £1102 from the Pink Week run for breast cancer charities. The club hosted a team from Sciences Po, Paris, in the 43rd annual 'OxPo' match at the end of Hilary. Whilst the French side clinched a closely fought victory, the event was an enormous success on the whole. With a victory in the quarter final against Keble, the Saints are now just one victory away from a shot at Cuppers redemption.
Special Prize
Ian Pebody
Top top work as JCR Sports Officer this year. Single-handedly organised Sidney Sussex trip and is just always 100% on everything. Goes above and beyond to support sport in College. Loves rugby.
Visit here to cast your votes.
You will need to login with your St John's SSO account for your vote to count. Voting will close on Monday 1 May at noon.